Method and apparatus for detecting and managing user plane congestion

Abstract

A method and apparatus for managing user plane congestion in a network are disclosed. A method performed by a wireless transmit/receive unit (WTRU) for user plane congestion in a network includes receiving an indication from the network that user plane congestion exists in the network, transmitting a request for the network to provide a lower Quality of Service (QoS) level for a particular service based on the indication, and observing a decrease in user plane QoS based on the transmitted request.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A method, performed by a wireless transmit/receive unit (WTRU), for managing user plane congestion in a network, the method comprising:
 provisioning the WTRU with a plurality of application-specific congestion control categories, including a highest ranked application-specific congestion control category and a lowest ranked application-specific congestion control category, wherein the highest ranked application-specific congestion control category includes one or more operator identified applications subject to a least amount of restrictions, and wherein the lowest ranked application-specific congestion control category includes one or more operator identified applications subject to a most amount of restrictions; 
 receiving congestion control information for each of the plurality of application-specific congestion control categories from the network, wherein the congestion control information includes a time period during which access to the network is restricted; 
 determining not to attempt to access the network for any of the operator identified applications of the lowest ranked application-specific congestion control category based on the congestion control information for the lowest ranked application-specific congestion control category; and 
 transmitting a request for access to the network for at least one of the operator identified applications of the highest ranked application-specific congestion control category during the time period in which access to the network is restricted for the lowest ranked application-specific congestion control category. 
 
     
     
       2. The method of  claim 1 , further comprising transmitting a request for the network to provide a lower Quality of Service (QoS) level for a particular service. 
     
     
       3. The method of  claim 2 , wherein the particular service from the network has a low priority. 
     
     
       4. The method of  claim 2 , wherein the particular service from the network has a high priority. 
     
     
       5. The method of  claim 2 , wherein services received from the network are prioritized by a user. 
     
     
       6. The method of  claim 5 , wherein lower priority services are offloaded over Wi-Fi. 
     
     
       7. A wireless transmit/receive unit (WTRU) for managing user plane congestion in a network, the WTRU comprising:
 a processor, a memory, a receiver and a transmitter, wherein:
 the processor is configured to provision the memory with a plurality of application-specific congestion control categories, including a highest ranked application-specific congestion control category and a lowest ranked application-specific congestion control category, wherein the highest ranked application-specific congestion control category includes one or more operator identified applications subject to a least amount of restrictions, and wherein the lowest ranked application-specific congestion control category includes one or more operator identified applications subject to a most amount of restrictions; 
 the receiver is configured to receive congestion control information for each of the plurality of application-specific congestion control categories from the network, wherein the congestion control information includes a time period during which access to the network is restricted; 
 the processor is configured to determine not to attempt to access the network for any of the operator identified applications of the lowest ranked application-specific congestion control category based on the congestion control information for the lowest ranked application-specific congestion control category; and 
 the transmitter is configured to transmit a request for access to the network for at least one of the operator identified applications of the highest ranked application-specific congestion control during the time period in which access to the network is restricted for the lowest ranked application-specific congestion control category. 
 
 
     
     
       8. The WTRU of  claim 7 , wherein the transmitter is configured to transmit a request for the network to provide a lower Quality of Service (QoS) level for a particular service. 
     
     
       9. The WTRU of  claim 8 , wherein the particular service from the network has a low priority. 
     
     
       10. The WTRU of  claim 8 , wherein the particular service from the network has a high priority. 
     
     
       11. The WTRU of  claim 8 , wherein services received from the network are prioritized by a user. 
     
     
       12. The WTRU of  claim 11 , wherein lower priority services are offloaded over Wi-Fi. 
     
     
       13. The method of  claim 1 , further comprising receiving signaling including information for provisioning the WTRU with the plurality of application-specific congestion control categories. 
     
     
       14. The method of  claim 13 , wherein the signaling comprises any of non-access stratum (NAS) signaling, radio resource control (RRC) signaling and open mobile alliance (OMA) signaling. 
     
     
       15. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the congestion control information further includes a data rate limit. 
     
     
       16. The WTRU of  claim 7 , wherein the receiver is configured to receive signaling including information for provisioning the WTRU with the plurality of application-specific congestion control categories. 
     
     
       17. The WTRU of  claim 16 , wherein the signaling comprises any of non-access stratum (NAS) signaling, radio resource control (RRC) signaling and open mobile alliance (OMA) signaling. 
     
     
       18. The WTRU of  claim 7 , wherein the congestion control information further includes a data rate limit. 
     
     
       19. A method implemented in a network node of a network, the method comprising:
 transmitting congestion control information for each of a plurality of application-specific congestion control categories to a wireless transmit/receive unit (WTRU), wherein the congestion control information includes a time period during which access to the network is restricted, wherein the plurality of application-specific congestion control categories included a highest ranked application-specific congestion control category and a lowest ranked application-specific congestion control category, wherein the highest ranked application-specific congestion control category includes one or more operator identified applications subject to a least amount of restrictions, and wherein the lowest ranked application-specific congestion control category includes one or more operator identified applications subject to a most amount of restrictions; 
 receiving, from the WTRU after expiration of the time period in which access to the network is restricted for the lowest ranked application-specific congestion control category, traffic from one or more the operator identified applications of the lowest ranked application-specific congestion control category based on the congestion control information for the lowest ranked application-specific congestion control category; and 
 receiving, from the WTRU, traffic from one or more of the operator identified applications of the highest ranked application-specific congestion control category during the time period in which access to the network is restricted for the lowest ranked application-specific congestion control category. 
 
     
     
       20. The method of  claim 19 , further comprising receiving, from the WTRU, a request for the network to provide a lower Quality of Service (QoS) level for a particular service. 
     
     
       21. The method of  claim 20 , wherein the particular service from the network has a low priority. 
     
     
       22. The method of  claim 20 , wherein the particular service from the network has a high priority. 
     
     
       23. The method of  claim 19 , wherein lower priority services are offloaded over Wi-Fi. 
     
     
       24. A network node of a network, the network node comprising circuitry, including a processor and a memory storing instructions executable by the processor, configured to:
 transmit congestion control information for each of a plurality of application-specific congestion control categories to a wireless transmit/receive unit (WTRU), wherein the congestion control information includes a time period during which access to the network is restricted, wherein the plurality of application-specific congestion control categories include a highest ranked application-specific congestion control category and a lowest ranked application-specific congestion control category, wherein the highest ranked application-specific congestion control category includes one or more operator identified applications subject to a least amount of restrictions, and wherein the lowest ranked application-specific congestion control category includes one or more operator identified applications subject to a most amount of restrictions; 
 receive, from the WTRU after expiration of the time period in which access to the network is restricted for the lowest ranked application-specific congestion control category, traffic from one or more the operator identified applications of the lowest ranked application-specific congestion control category based on the congestion control information for the lowest ranked application-specific congestion control category; and 
 receive, from the WTRU, traffic from one or more of the operator identified applications of the highest ranked application-specific congestion control category during the time period in which access to the network is restricted for the lowest ranked application-specific congestion control category. 
 
     
     
       25. The network node of  claim 24 , wherein the circuitry is further configured to receive a request for the network to provide a lower Quality of Service (QoS) level for a particular service. 
     
     
       26. The network node of  claim 25 , wherein the particular service from the network has a low priority. 
     
     
       27. The network node of  claim 25 , wherein the particular service from the network has a high priority. 
     
     
       28. The network node of  claim 25 , wherein lower priority services are offloaded over Wi-Fi. 
     
     
       29. The method of  claim 15 , further comprising:
 transmitting traffic from one or more of the operator identified applications of the highest ranked application-specific congestion control category during the time period in which access to the network is restricted for the lowest ranked application-specific congestion control category and in accordance with the data rate limit. 
 
     
     
       30. The WTRU of  claim 18 , further comprising:
 the transmitter is configured to transmit traffic from one or more of the operator identified applications of the highest ranked application-specific congestion control category during the time period in which access to the network is restricted for the lowest ranked application-specific congestion control category and in accordance with the data rate limit. 
 
     
     
       31. The method of  claim 15 , wherein the congestion control information further includes a data rate limit, and wherein the traffic is received at a rate not exceeding the data rate limit. 
     
     
       32. The network node of  claim 24 , wherein the congestion control information further includes a data rate limit, and wherein the receiver is configured to receive the traffic at a rate not exceeding the data rate limit.